Garment working machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for performing a work operation on a garment, for example, a button sewing operation, including a frame, a button sewing machine on the frame and improved means for indexing the garment past the button sewing machine in a precise predetermined relationship. The indexing machine includes first adjustable clamping means and second adjustable clamping means and carriage means for moving the clamping means predetermined increments from a first position to a second position to permit buttons to be sewn on the garment at spaced intervals between said two positions corresponding to said predetermined increments.

Unite States Patent [191 Strouse [4 1 Mar. 27, 1973 1 GARMENT WORKING MACHINE [75] inventor: James L. Strouse, Muscatine, Iowa [73] Assignee: McKee Button Company. Musca- 1 tine.lowa

22 Filed: Feb. 23, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 118,119

[52] US. Cl .l ..112/121.11, 112/12129 [51] Int. Cl. ..D05b 19/00 [58] Field of Search ..112/2,121.11, 121.29, 65

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,151,583 10/1964 Troll etal ..1l2/l2 1.l1 3,334,600 8/1967 Conner, Jr ..l12/l21.11 2,944,496 7/1960 l2/l2l.ll X

3,228,364 1/1966 Kremer eta] ..ll2/121.11

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3/1966 Great Britain ..ll2/l2l.29

Primary Examiner-James R. Boler Att0mey-Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff ABSTRACT A machine for performing a work, operation on a garment, for example, a button sewing operation, including a frame, -a button sewing machine on the frame and improved means for indexing the garment past the button sewing machine in a precise predetermined relationship. The indexing machine includes first adjustable clamping means and second adjustable clamping means and carriage means for moving the clamping means predetermined increments from a first position to a second position to permit buttons to be sewn on the garment at spaced intervals between said two positions corresponding to said predetermined increments.

8 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARZY I975 SHEET 5 or e M s u mm. a A QWN QNN N HM ,6 e as ea ea PATENTEDHARZYIBYS 3 7 2, 5

SHEET 5 0F 6 fny James 7 I'OZLS wan M Q Jm m m, 4

1 GARMENT WORKING'MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to an improved garment working machine and more particularly, to an improved machine for affixing buttons to 'a garment, for example a shirt front, in predetermined spaced relationship and to a start point.

At one time, shirt making was done entirely by hand. Machines of different types have been devised to speed up and improve shirt making procedures. Several forms of machines are known for sewing buttons onto garments, for example, shirt fronts. One such machine includes an endless track arrangement for carrying the shirt front past a sewing machine to affix buttons selectively to the shirt front. The endless track mechanism is complex and thus quite readily subject to possible malfunction and stoppage of the sewing operation.

Another known button sewing machine includes a table which is moved selected increments past a sewing machine to permit the sewing machine to sew buttons onto the shirt front. Such machine is considered an improvement over the machine including an endless track arrangement; however, it too has drawbacks as the shirt moving parts including the table are relatively heavy, thus slowing the indexing operation or alternately causing relatively high-shock factors as the machine indexes in operation. Operation is also slowed by the fact that the shirt-moving part must return to the start position before the completed shirt front can be stacked.

An object of the present invention is to provide an FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view of the indexing mechanism;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 10- 10 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a detail plan view of the tail clamp mechanism;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the tail clamp mechanism taken generally along line I212 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a detail rear elevation view of the tail clamp mechanism;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 14-14 of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Overall Components Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a garment sewing machine identified generally as GSM, which embodies principles of the present invention. The garment sewing machine GSM comprises as major components a frame F, a hopper or supply drum H, a sewing machine SM, a loader and aligner mechanism LA associated with the sewing machine and improved garment working machine having a novel in- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for sewing buttons. to the shirt front of either a mans shirt or a woman's shirt, without necessity for relocating any components of the machine. i

These and other objects of the present invention will be made more apparent in the detailed description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of the garment sewing machine embodying principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the garment sewing machine;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the garment sewing machine for sewing buttons on a shirt front, illustrating the stacker in position away from the machine frame;

FIG. 4 is a detail plan view better illustrating the relationship between the indexing lever and the switch of the indexing mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a detail elevation view illustrating the neck clamp mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

button I mechanism retains the garment G in a predetermined the hopper, an indexing mechanism IM, and a stacker needle of the sewing machine SM. A garment indicated generally at G is supported in position on the frame F by, means of clamp mechanisms which are part of the indexing mechanism IM. The indexing initial. position and then moves or indexes the garment G relative to the sewing machine SM so as to properly affix buttons to the garment at predetermined selected intervals. After the button sewing operations are completed on a garment G, the garment is released from the clamp mechanisms and moved onto the stacker S. After a predetermined number of garments have been stacked on the stacker S, they may be removed by the operator.

The structure and operation of the various major components of .the garment sewing machineGSM will be considered in further detail hereafter.

Frame The frame F is comprised basically of a planar table top or base 12 carried on subframe channel members 14. Depending from the subframe 14 are angle members 16 and 18. The rear members 18, which may be channel members as shown or angle members,.extend to the floor and define legs for supportingthe frame F. Adjustable extension means 20 may be provided for. ad-

justing the position of the legs 18 with respect to the floor upon which the garment sewing machine GSM rests. Depending from the front of the subframe 14 are angle members or channel members 16. Extending from the channel members 16 are leg portions 21,

which include a downwardly and forwardly curved portion 21a and a vertically extending portion 21b. Adjustable extension means 23 may extend from leg portions 21 to assist in adjusting the frame F relative to the floor and leveling the top of the frame. Transverse cross-members 22 and 24 are provided to brace and rigidly connect the members 16 and 18. A support table 26 is secured to the front of frame F by brackets 27 which are secured to the frame and to the support table by suitable fastening means, for example, bolts 28.

Hopper or Supply Drum The hopper or supply drum H is preferably of the well-known vibratory type which includes a cylindrical bowl 36 for containing a supply of buttons to be fed one at a time to the loading and aligner mechanism LA. The hopper may be of the type shown, for example, in Hopkins US. Pat. No. 3,494,311 granted Feb. 10, 1970. The hopper per se does not form part of the present invention and accordingly will only be described generally hereafter. The buttons in the cylindrical bowl 36 will travel upwardly around the spiral turns 38 when the hopper H is vibrated by the vibrating motor mounted therein. The buttons, identified generally by the numeral 40, are fed from the upper spiral of the hopper one at a time to a discharge chute 50, which extends downwardly from the hopper H and communicates the hopper H with the loader and aligner mechanism LA.

Loader and Aligner Mechanism The loader and aligner mechanism LA is adapted to receive buttons from the chute 50, which may be comprised of a resilient spring-like member, generally rectangular in cross-section, and to position the buttons one at a time relative to the needle of the sewing machine SM. The loader and aligner mechanism LA may be of the type shown in-McKee et al. US. Pat. No. 3,499,405 granted Mar. 10, 1970, and reference may be made to the patent for a more detailed description of the structure of the loader and aligner mechanism. It will be understood that buttons fed from the chute 50 will be received in the loader and aligner mechanism and each button will be individually rotated so as to position the needle of the sewing machine SM relative to the openings in the button for proper sewing.

Sewing Machine The sewing machine SM is of conventional design and includes a sewing machine head 60 with the operating components therein drivenfrom a motor 62 secured on the subframe 14 of the frame F. The motor 62 is operatively connected to the sewing machine SM via a belt and pulley drive mechanism 64. The needle 66 of the sewing machine is adapted to be reciprocated so as to properly sew a button 40 unto the garment G as desired.

Indexing Mechanism A feature of this invention is the indexing mechanism [M which is adapted to clamp a garment in position and then to move the garment relative to the needle 66 of the sewing machine SM so as to sew the buttons unto the garment in a predetermined relationship in an expedient fashion.

The garment indexing mechanism lM is comprised of first and second clamp means 80, 82 for positively engaging and retaining a garment G and carriage mechanism 84 secured to the clamp means for moving the garment and the buttons sewn thereto relative to the needle of the sewing machine SM in a predetermined manner. The carriage mechanism 84 is adapted to be driven from a motor 86 through a speed-reducer 87 and a clutch mechanism 88. The clamping means and 82 are maintained in a desired predetermined relationship and are operatively connected to one another by means of a connecting rod 89 secured at one end of the clamping means 80 and at the other end to the clamping means 82. The connection of rod 89 to the clamping means 80 is rigid, whereas the connection of the rod 89 to the clamping means 82 is through the resilient spring members 91, 92 disposed on opposite sides of the depending member 93 of the clamping means 82.

The carriage mechanism 84 is operatively connected to the motor 86 and clutch 88 via chain drive mechanism 96. At one end, the chain 96 is connected to the body member 98 of the clamping means 80, and at the other end the chain is connected to the body member 98 through a resilient member 99, which may take the form of a coil spring. The clamping means 80 includes a pivoted arm member 101 having a planar end portion 102 cooperating with guide plate 81 for gripping the garment G upon which buttons are to be sewn. In the case of a man's shirt, the clamping means would grip the shirt in the region of the collar, and in the case of a womans shirt the clamping means 80 would grip the shirt adjacent the tail. Pivot pin 103 is secured to the body member 98 for centrally pivoting the clamping arm 101. The end of the clamping arm 101 opposite the flattened gripping end 102 is connected to a cylinder mechanism 104, which functions to move the end 102 into and out0f gripping engagement with a garment G. The rod 106 of the cylinder mechanism 104 is pivotally secured at 107 to a depending arm 108 of the clamping means 80. The cylinder 1041s pivotally connected at 110 to a bracket 112 which depends downwardly from and is secured to a planar member 114 that is in turn secured to body member 98 of clamping means 80.

Two plates are adjustably supported on the guide plate 81 for permitting accurate positioning of an end of the garment G in clamping means 80. Plate 113 is provided with slots 115 so as to permit movement of the plate 113 toward and away from the front of the garment sewing machine. Plate 113 is adjustable to vary the position of the button from the lead edge of the shirt front. Bolt 116 or like fastening means is provided to fix the plate 113 in desired adjusted position. Plate 117 is provided with slots 118 to permit adjustment of the plate 117 laterally of the frame F. The plate 1 17 is affixed in adjusted position by bolts 119. This adjustment properly positions the end of the garment relative to the needle to assure that the first button is at a desired distance from the left end of the garment G.

The indexing mechanism includes a threaded rod 120 carried fixedly at the ends between supports 121 and 122 extending upwardly from base of frame F. Sets of pairs of stop nuts 124, 125 are movable on the threaded rod for adjustment of one pair relative to another pair. One nut of each pair is positioned as desired and the second nut is then threaded against the first to lock same in place. The stop nuts 124, 125 are adjusted for the purpose of setting the spacing between the buttons to be sewn unto the garment G as will be explained more fully hereafter.

The chain 96 is trained at one end on a pulley 128 journalled on the upstanding bracket 122 and at the other end on a pulley 130 operatively driven from the clutch mechanism 88. The input of the clutch mechanism is operatively connected to the speed reducer via a belt and pulley drive mechanism 132.

Fixedly carried on the frame F in position to be engaged by the body 98 at the limits of its movement are switches 1 40 and 141. Also, in circuit with the switches 140 and 141, is a switch mechanism 142 which is adapted to be actuated by a pivoted lever 144 on. the body 98.

Turning now to FIGS. 4-10, there is better illustrated the detail of the carriage mechanism. The body member 98 of the clamping means 80 is carried slidably on a pair of rods 150, 152 which are carried at their ends in supports 121, 122. The lever 144 is adapted to be pivoted about two axes. Lever 144 is comprised of two parts, 144a and 144b, operatively connectedso as to be pivoted about pivot pin l60 for movement toward and away from engagement with the stops 124, 125 on the screw shaft 120. Spring 161 disposed between body 98 and an end of lever 144 functions tobias an end of the lever 144 toward the shaft 120 where it can engage with the stops on the shaft 120 and the lever 144 is urged in the opposite direction by the piston rod 164 extending from the cylinder means 166 The lever 144 is alsomounted for movement about the axis throughithe pivot member 168, which secures parts 144a and l44b together. Spring means 170 are provided for biasing the lever 144 into engagement with the adjustable stop 172, so as to establish the proper relationship ofthe rear end of the lever withthe actuating mechanism of the switch 142, which actuating mechanism may preferably be a rollermember 143. Such spring means 170 may comprise a coil spring secured to the pivot member 168 and to the L-shaped part of lever 144.

The end brackets or supports 121 and 122 are secured to the frame means F by suitable fastening means, for example, bolts 123 as seen in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Turning to FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 14, there is further illustrated detail of the clamping means82. The clamping means 82 includes a pivoted lever 210 disposed on a bracket 212 secured slidably on upper and lower rods 214, 216. The lever 210 is pivoted about the pivot pin 218. secured to bracket 212 by the rod 220 of the cylinder mechanism 222 that is suitably-fixed to the bracket 212. The rods 21-4and 216 are connected at their ends in'the frame F by suitable brackets. Secured to the bracket 212 is a generally horizontally extending plate member 226 which adjustably carries thereon an adjustment plate 228 having a plurality of. slots 229 therein for adjusting the position thereof forwardly and for most rnens shirts, the primary adjustment is 3% plate 228 in a selected adjusted position. Adjustment plate 232 is adjustably carried on the frame F in spaced position relative to the plate member 226. The plate member 232 has a slot 235 therein and may be retained in selected adjusted position by bolt 234. The purpose of the adjustment plates 232 and 228 is to establish the position of the leading edge of the garment relative to the sewing machine so as to establish the distance the button will be sewn from the lead edge of the garment.

Pivoted on the frame proximate the clamping mechanism 82 on the right side is an actuator comprising a pivoted member 240 that is. adapted .to be engaged manually to initiate the operating switch 242. Stacker The garment sewing machine GSM of the present invention also includes a stacker which has been identified by the letter S in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The stacker S comprises a centrally disposed plate member 250 secured at its lower end to a rod 252 that is pivoted in bearings 254 and 255 on the lower parts of the legs 21. A bracket member 260 is secured at the upper end of the stacker plate 250. On the face of the bracket 260 is provided a resilient material, for example, polyu rethane, from upon which garments having the buttons sewn thereto may be collected. The stacker Sis movable toward and away from the forward portion of the machine GSM. by means of a cylinder mechanism including a cylinder 270 pivoted at its rear end about pivot pin 271 carried in projections extending from angle member 273 fixed to the frame F. The cylinder mechanism includes a rod pivotally secured at the forward end at 276 to the member 250 for moving the stackerS.

As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, there is provided at the front of the table of the frame F a longitudinally extending tubular member 280 which receives com- I pressed air and selectively discharges same-forwardly through a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending openings or through a longitudinally extending slot 281. Air pressure is selectively suppliedto the tubular member 280 at the endof a garment button sewing operation so as to remove a completed garment from the top of the table and urge same unto the bracket 260 of the stacker S. The cylinder mechanism 270, 275 will be suitably actuated at the end ofeach garment sewing cycle so as to effect stacking of a plurality of completed garments on the plate 260. When a predetermined supply has been accumulate'cL'the operator will then remove same for further processing. Operation Initially, a garment to be worked on is placed against the adjustable stops or guides 113 and 117 on theclamping means 80. The garment G is then stretched out along the table guide surface to a position where it may be clamped by the clamping means 82. The garment is against the adjustable stops or guides 228, 232. The clamping. means is positioned initially in a predetermined relationship on the carriagemechanism so that the first button'will be sewn at a predetermined dimension from the left end or collar end. For example,

inches. The buttons sewn will be properly spaced inwardly from the lead edge of the shirt or. garment because of the extended guide surface abuttingthe lead edge of the shirt, such guide surface being provided for example by the guide members or adjustable stop members 113, 228, and 232. The stops 124, 125 are adjusted on the shaft and then locked in place at predetermined distances corresponding to the distances between buttons.

Upon actuation of the switch 242, the clamping means 80 and 82 will be simultaneously actuated to retain the shirt front or garment G. At the same time, the operation of the sewing machine SM is initiated and the button in alignment with the needle 66 on the loader and aligner mechanism will be sewn onto the garment. At the end of the sewing cycle, the cycling cam on the sewing machine SM will close the circuit to a delay relay (not shown) energizing the cylinder mechanism 166 to extend the rod 164 thereof and raise the lever 144 from the stops 124, 125 on the threaded rod 120. Motor 86, which may be of a type commonly made by Bodine Electric Company then drives upon engagement of clutch 88, the chain 96 and thereby indexes the carriage until the next stop position wherein the lever 144 engages the next pair of stops on the threaded shaft 120. The cycling operation continues until all buttons are sewn in place and then at the end of the cycling operation, the body 98 of the clamping means 84 will strike the stacker-in switch 140 at the left end of the carriage as viewed in FIG. 1, for example.

Upon actuation of stacker-in switch 140, the cylinder mechanism 270, 275 will be actuated to move the plate 262 toward the frame. A stacker forward switch 290 on the front of the machine will be contacted by the plate 260. Actuation of the switch 290 will cause air to be blown through the opening 281 in the tubular member 282 to blow the shirt unto the stacker S. The stacker forward switch 290 also, functions to reverse the carriage to return same to the start position.

Although the device has been described as comprising a garment sewing machine, it will be understood that the sewing machine may have a button hole former substituted in its place and then the machine will be used 'in the same manner to form holes in predetermined spaced relationship along the shirt front or like garment.

A feature ofthe present device is that both mens shirts and womens shirts can be set upwith eq'ual facility. It is only necessary to reverse the shirt ends for securement on the machine to establish the proper spacingfrom the collar. In prior known devices, it is necessary that components of the machine be relocated in order to effect sewing of both the mens shirts and women's shirts.

A further feature of the present invention is that only the shirt and indexing mechanism move. The table and While a presently preferred embodiment of the 'invention has been shown and described, it is apparent t that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing. from the invention. Therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. In a machine for performing a work operation on a garment including a frame, garment working means, on the frame, and means on the frame for moving the garment past the garment working means, the improvement comprising said garment moving means including first clamping means for clampingly engaging a garment at one end, second clamping means for engaging the garment at a remote place, said first clamping means including a stop for establishing a first position from which work to be performed on the garment is gaged, and a pivoted lever carriage means for moving the clamping means predetermined increments from a first position to a second position to permit'work to be performed on the garment at spaced intervals between said first and second positions corresponding to the said predetermined increments, said carriage means including longitudinally extending support rods for carrying the first clamping means, drive means comprising a motor and a clutch for'moving same, with chain means connected between the clutch and first clamping means and indexing means cooperating with the drive means for moving the carriage means and the clamping means said predetermined increments, said indexing means including an indexing rod carrying stops selectively engaged by said pivoted lever and released therefrom at the end of a work operation, said first and second clamping means including adjustably mounted guides for gaging the distance from the front edge of the garment to the work places on the garment.

2. A machine as in claim 1 including a stacker on the frame for receiving finished garments after the work operation has been completed.

3. A machine as in claim 2 including pneumatic transfer means for positioning a garment on the stacker, said transfer means being operative upon release of the garment by the clamping means upon positioning of the garment at said second position and completion of the last sewing operation on the garment.

4. A machine as in claim 3 wherein the garment working means is a sewing machine, and a button loader and align'erv mechanism is associated with said sewing machine for properly positioning a button so that it can be sewn in place at spaced intervals on the garment.

5. A machine as.in claim 1 wherein said first clamping means includes a second adjustably mounted guide for gaging the distance from the end of the garment to the first work place.

6; A machine as in claim 5 wherein each of the guides includes an adjustment plate having slots therein for adjustably securing said plate on the respective clamping means.

7. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the indexing rod is externally threaded and the stops are adjustably connected to the indexing rod by internal threading and lock means.

8. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the pivoted lever is pivoted about two axes so as to be movable toward and away from engage-ment with the stops on the indexing rod and movable toward and away from a switch mechanism for actuating same.

* a: a: s w 

1. In a machine for performing a work operation on a garment including a frame, garment working means, on the frame, and means on the framE for moving the garment past the garment working means, the improvement comprising said garment moving means including first clamping means for clampingly engaging a garment at one end, second clamping means for engaging the garment at a remote place, said first clamping means including a stop for establishing a first position from which work to be performed on the garment is gaged, and a pivoted lever carriage means for moving the clamping means predetermined increments from a first position to a second position to permit work to be performed on the garment at spaced intervals between said first and second positions corresponding to the said predetermined increments, said carriage means including longitudinally extending support rods for carrying the first clamping means, drive means comprising a motor and a clutch for moving same, with chain means connected between the clutch and first clamping means and indexing means cooperating with the drive means for moving the carriage means and the clamping means said predetermined increments, said indexing means including an indexing rod carrying stops selectively engaged by said pivoted lever and released therefrom at the end of a work operation, said first and second clamping means including adjustably mounted guides for gaging the distance from the front edge of the garment to the work places on the garment.
 2. A machine as in claim 1 including a stacker on the frame for receiving finished garments after the work operation has been completed.
 3. A machine as in claim 2 including pneumatic transfer means for positioning a garment on the stacker, said transfer means being operative upon release of the garment by the clamping means upon positioning of the garment at said second position and completion of the last sewing operation on the garment.
 4. A machine as in claim 3 wherein the garment working means is a sewing machine, and a button loader and aligner mechanism is associated with said sewing machine for properly positioning a button so that it can be sewn in place at spaced intervals on the garment.
 5. A machine as in claim 1 wherein said first clamping means includes a second adjustably mounted guide for gaging the distance from the end of the garment to the first work place.
 6. A machine as in claim 5 wherein each of the guides includes an adjustment plate having slots therein for adjustably securing said plate on the respective clamping means.
 7. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the indexing rod is externally threaded and the stops are adjustably connected to the indexing rod by internal threading and lock means.
 8. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the pivoted lever is pivoted about two axes so as to be movable toward and away from engage-ment with the stops on the indexing rod and movable toward and away from a switch mechanism for actuating same. 